Arthur's Daughter
by 40socks
Summary: After Deathly Hallows, JKR said that Arthur Weasley had been saved from death. How would the final book play out if he hadn't been saved. An H/G story overall.


Harry Potter was leaning against the thick, scratchy trunk of a large tree. Looking at his legs sprawled messily in front of him, he could feel his eyelids growing heavy. He closed them but quickly blinked his eyes back open. It would not do to fall asleep on the watch.

His thoughts drifted to only a few months ago, when he had been sitting against one of the large trees at Hogwarts in a similar fashion. Except that then he'd had a young red haired girl sitting on his lap, her back leaned up against his chest. The times they had shared sitting like that had been far too few. Harry's imagination, which was becoming more vivid as the night wore on, could produce a clear image of Ginny sitting in his lap at that very moment. He could imagine that they were sitting by the lake, having a carefree conversation. The day was just warm enough that they had discarded their shoes and their cloaks. Harry could imagine the flowy blouse that Ginny would wear hanging loosely on her shoulders. He reached out his hand to push the sleeve off her shoulder and kiss the back of her neck.

His arm hit nothing but the cold air around him. As if coming out of a stupor, Harry looked at his hand, seemingly levitating in front of him. He had actually reached out, yearning to feel Ginny in front of him. She was not there. It was not a warm day by the lake. No, he was sitting alone somewhere in a cold, dark forest in the United Kingdom in the middle of the night. He, Ron, and Hermione were hunting the horcruxes with little success. His imagination had been tantalizing him once again. Groaning, he pulled his exposed arm back underneath the invisibility cloak and made sure he was completely hidden. The countdown to the beginning of Hermione's turn at lookout resumed.

What would he do when his friend came to take over the watch? He knew he needed to sleep, he could hardly keep his eyes open right now. But he also knew that he could not kid himself. When he crawled into bed, he knew that he would pull the sheets over his head and by the light of only a dim _lumos, _he would pour over the Marauder's map. He would trace his index finger over her dot, trying in vain to convince himself he had not make a mistake. His tongue silently formed the four syllables of her name, yearning for the next time when he could say them to her face. Harry loved the late nights, it was the only time he could allow himself to think of Ginny. To miss her. To fantasize that she wasn't angry with him for leaving her behind.

Not long after he had left her and the rest of her family--well, almost all of it-- at Bill and Fluer's wedding, Harry knew he had made a mistake. He needed Ginny to remain safe. He wanted her to help her mum make it through the war. Harry had a long list of reasons to want to end Voldemort's reign. He did not want Ginny to become just another name on a list of people whose deaths he had to avenge. But Ginny had her own reasons to want to see Tom Riddle vanquished. He had been the one who had controlled her for the majority of her first year. His snake had attacked her father. As Harry thought of all that Ginny went through that Christmas two years previously, the vivid memories flooded back.

_The waiting room on one of the higher floors of St. Mungo's hospital was silent as the Weasley family sat scattered in the uniform chairs. The grey December sky that sent a pool of light through the open window was the only light in the room. Everyone in the room was worried about Arthur Weasley, who had just undergone a Muggle procedure called stitches on the slight hope that it would do what the wizarding methods couldn't--heal Arthur's snakebite. _

_Harry was slumped in an uncomfortable plastic chair, facing the window. Hermione had sat in the chair next to him, trying to get him to open to her, but he had turned away. He could not shake the feeling that he was a danger to every one of the Weasley's occupying a chair in the hospital room. It had been Harry himself who had witnessed Arthur's attack--through the eyes of the snake. Ginny had helped him the previous day, assuring him that Voldemort was not possessing him. But now that Arthur's condition was weakening, Harry was falling back into depression. _

As Harry's thought's came back to Ginny--as they always did--he really wished his head had known back then what his heart had been trying to tell him for some months. He needed Ginny. She was no longer the flighty girl whose elbow had landed in the butter dish all those years ago. No, she was a brave young woman who had suffered her share of Voldemort's wrath. Why hadn't Harry seen that earlier? By the time he had finally kissed her in the common room, they had only a few precious weeks to share before he was forced back into his destiny.

One thing Harry knew now, as he was staring blankly at her name on the Marauder's map, was that Ginny was among the few people he implicitly trusted. Then why hadn't he trusted her with the knowledge of the horcruxes? The answer was simple--Dumbledore had forbidden it. But Harry wasn't particularly pleased with his late headmaster at the moment. Not after being kept in the dark about the Hallows. Ginny deserved to know about Harry's journey. She had proven herself many times over. She had risked everything to steal Gryffindor's sword, just to help him. As Harry looked down at the old parchment, he wondered for the thousandth time why he was hurting her and himself by leaving her behind.

The four names on the map rang in Harry's head. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs. Padfoot and Prongs. Sirius and James. Two people that had been killed for being close to Harry. Two deaths that were the result of Harry's love. Ginny could not become another casualty. He loved her too much to let her die for him. Ah, there's the rub. Harry loved Ginny. Just the thought of being away from her made Harry physically ache. When she would lean against his chest near the lake, all those months ago, Harry felt like he belonged nowhere else. He loved her. He had slowly been coming to that resolution for years. Now that he knew it, it seemed like the most obvious thing in the world.

Harry's emotions were warring with his intellect. Ginny was underage. He had experienced unimaginable horrors on his journey. Did he really want Ginny to witness the things he had encountered at Godric's Hollow? Or while destroying the locket? But he loved her. Harry was stronger with her at his side. He never wanted to be apart from her again.

Without warning, he stood up from the makeshift bed, not noticing that the thin blanket and the Marauder's map fell to the floor. He made a straight path for the entrance to the tent, where Hermione was currently on watch. He hardly noticed the brisk spring air as it hit his face. He was going to get Ginny.

His steadfastness was broken by a quiet voice that he identified as Hermione's, "Harry?"

He grunted, continuing to walk by her, thoughts on Ginny.

"Harry," Hermione repeated, "What's going on?" She had pulled the invisibility cloak off and was standing at Harry's side, a comforting hand on his arm.

"I can't do it, Hermione," Harry finally broke down. "I'm getting Ginny."

"Oh Harry."

"No, you don't understand. I love her," Harry practically shouted.

Hermione silently wrapped her arms around Harry's neck. He buried his face in her neck, trying with all his might to stop the impending tears.

"Harry, you can't get her. She's underage. Her mum needs her. You know Mrs. Weasley hasn't been the same since--since--"

_The silence in the room seemed to grow even quieter as the light flooded in from the operating room and a healer dressed in pristine white robes stepped out. _

_"Healer Whirlby, what can you tell me of my husband?" a trembling Molly Weasley asked. _

_"The prognosis is still uncertain, Mrs. Weasley. We are continuing to run all of the necessary tests to determine what will help him the most. As of now, we are listing his condition as critical. Top priority. "_

_"CRITICAL CONDITION! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY HUSBAND!"_

_At Molly's outburst, George, who had been sitting to her right, got up to hold her back from the healer. Fred was only a pace behind his twin and he also restrained his mother. Bill stood up across the room, eyed his mother to make sure the twins had her, and turned to face the diminutive healer. _

_"Mr. Weasley," Healer Whirlby said, addressing Bill, but speaking to the room, "Your father's bite is unresponsive to all of the typical methods of healing a snakebite. If it truly was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's snake, as you have asserted, we may be in deeper trouble than I previously anticipated." _

_"It was Voldemort's snake, I already told you," Harry interrupted from his seat in the corner. _

_Healer Whirlby seemingly waved him off, "Well, as I was saying, Mr. Weasley is unconscious and the Muggle stitches he suggested are not proving effective. We are running out of options."_

_"What are our options," Bill asked, white-faced. _

_"We have not wanted to try this previously, as there are high risks involved for the patient, but it is looking like it may be our only chance."_

_"What is it?" Bill asked, as Molly was being helped back into her chair by her two sons. She looked weak. _

_"It was his blood that was poisoned. We would need to drain his contaminated blood and replace it with the matching blood of several donors, family members should work. We can only hope that the poison travels slowly and has not attacked his internal organs."_

_"I'll do it." Ginny stood up. She had been quiet for most of the afternoon. But as she spoke her adamant features shone in the dim light. "Can you test if I'm a blood match?"_

That was his Ginny. She loved her father dearly and immediately volunteered to do whatever was necessary to save him. But, Harry realized with a jolt, he wasn't sure if he could call her his Ginny anymore. His face still buried in Hermione's neck, Harry stepped back from the embrace.

"I'm at least going to see her," he declared. "Don't leave this campsite until I return."

At that, Harry disapparated.

He realized as soon as he landed that he had made a mistake. Though he had just been looking at her name in the girl's dormitory of Gryffindor Tower, he had apparated to the Burrow. He just didn't imagine that school could possibly be in session while he was not there. The Burrow was darkened as he approached from the nearby woods. He took a deep breath. Just looking at the home where Ginny and Ron had grown up, where Harry had met the only ones he would consider his real family, made him want to hold her. Hopefully one day the Weasley's actually would be his family. HIs children would call Molly their grandmother, Ron and the twins and Charlie and Bill their uncles. Harry briefly wondered where that thought came from, he had never thought about marrying anyone before. Though he had always known the only thing he wanted was a family, he had never imagined his children. But as he reorganized his thoughts, a feeble attempt at Occlumency, he knew that that was what he wanted more than anything--to survive the war and spend the rest of his life with Ginny and a houseful of little red haired children with green eyes and glasses.

It was these thoughts occupying his mind as Harry mindlessly wandered closer to the Burrow. Though Ginny was not there--he had realized that she wouldn't be as soon as he set foot on the property--he loved the sight of one of the few places he could call home. Paying no mind to the fact that it was the middle of the night, Harry imagined his meeting with Molly Weasley. She would be so happy to see him. She would ask for news of Ron and Hermione, and then she would help him get in contact with Ginny. Harry felt a hint of a smile spread across his face for the first time in what felt like years. It was with this happy thought occupying his vision that he walked right into an invisible barrier and fell back to the dirt. Looking up, Harry noticed that he was still on the outskirts of the Weasley's property. The invisible barrier he had hit must have been the ward on the house. The same one that Bill had set up when Arthur's had fallen. It had been only minutes after--

_Harry felt like an interloper on the Weasley's grief. As often as they reassured him that he was as much a member as anyone who was a Weasley by birth, Harry felt awkward witnessing their pain. Pain that he felt he had somehow caused. Guilt welled up deep in Harry's chest. He hardly noticed Ron's beckon or Hermione's dragging him into the tight circle of Weasley's until he was in the center of it. This was not right. Why did they not hate him for taking away their father and husband?_

_"I--I'm sorry," he muttered. "I'll leave you be." Harry slipped out of the Weasley's that were gathered. He saw the twins, Bill with his arm firmly around Fluer Delacoeur, Ron and Ginny, Hermione, Molly had a stony expression on her face, even Charlie had come back from Romania for his father's last days. _

_"Harry Potter! I've lost enough today. You are a part of this family and you had better damn well start acting like it." It was Molly. The first coherent sentence she had spoken for quite some time since Arthur had slipped away. _

_Harry could do nothing but stand there, gaping. _

_"Harry," it was Ron speaking this time, "You did nothing to hurt anyone in this family. My father's life was happier because you were in it." At that, Ron walked over and gave his black haired brother a tight embrace. Ron's arms were soon replaced by those of his mum, giving Harry one of her typical crushing hugs. _

_When they finally separated, Harry's eyes rose to meet Ginny's. Her eyes were puffy and red, her hair was unkempt, and her cheeks were tearstained. She had helped her father in his fight, giving her blood freely. Charlie and Ron had also given some, but Ginny, the smallest of the family, had given the largest amount. She had been in the room when his slow beating heart had stopped. Harry had recently noticed, for the first time, her beauty. Today was no different. Harry wanted to hug her, to squeeze away her pain, but knew too well himself that there was nothing anyone could do to alleviate the pain and sorrow. _

_"Is there anything I can do?" even the words sounded feeble. _

_"Kill the bastard," said Ginny, not caring that her mother was in the room. _

_Harry remained there, hating to see his favorite family in the world hurting so much. He lent what comfort he could to each one of the Weasley's, for hours, until Healer Whirlby turned off the lights and said to the gathered family, "Take as long as you need."_

Harry wiped a tear from his eye at the memory of the day he lost Arthur Weasley. He had lost his other father figure, Sirius, only months later. Both losses hurt him immensely, tearing at his very heart. But now he was still outside of the Burrow's wards. It was early in the morning, before dawn.Not a single light was on inside. Harry knew that Molly was alone, probably sleeping fitfully. It would do no good to frighten her. As much as he knew his presence would help her, he was remembering how hard it was to leave the first time. He didn't think he could leave a second time.

Making sure that he hadn't disrupted anything around the Burrow, he headed straight back into the woods and disapparated to the outskirts of the Hogwarts grounds. Harry had heard only small amounts of what was happening at Hogwarts this year, but what he had heard wasn't pretty. He wished he had brought the Marauder's map to help him formulate a plan to speak with Ginny. He did not think he could get past the wards at Hogwarts without alerting Snape to his presence, just like he couldn't get past the wards at the Burrow. He paced the area in front of the Hogwarts gates until he was sure that dawn would arrive shortly. He had no more ideas about contacting Ginny and he was sure that he would be noticed if dawn broke and he was still outside Hogwarts. Thinking depressingly that he would have to abandon his plan of seeing his comfort, Harry suddenly felt a light weight hit his shoulder.

He turned around, surprised, wand at the ready. Harry scanned the area around him to see who had tapped his shoulder. His adrenaline ran high. There was a small, furry bundle on the grass in front of his feet. He cautiously approached it, half expecting it to explode if he got too close. By the time he was within an arm's distance from the little ball, nothing had happened. He bravely reached out to touch it, when he heard a soft hoot. As the ball moved, Harry recognized it as Errol, the Weasley family owl that had followed him from the Burrow to Hogwarts.

"I'm so glad to see you, Errol. How did you know to follow me?" Harry whispered. The owl, who was barely holding up after his long journey, gave him an inquisitive look. Harry chuckled at the owl, who was obviously wondering why the man was talking to him instead of giving him a letter to send.

Harry quickly pulled an old bit of parchment and a broken quill that he luckily had in the pair of jeans he had been wearing for several days. Suddenly, he wished he had given his appearance more attention before coming to Ginny as he ran his finger across the stubble on his chin. He cast a very quick _scourgify_ on his dirty clothes, noticing almost no difference. But he had other things on his mind and quickly penned the salutation of a letter to Ginny.

But Harry had a much safer idea. He scratched out the words he had written and began again, on his scrap of parchment.

_Hagrid,_

_Five years ago you told my friend and me to follow the spiders. Two years ago you told me and another friend of mine how to care for your brother. Right now I am just past the gates of Hogwarts. Please bring my red haired girlfriend (her family owns this owl) to meet me. I'll explain._

Harry didn't sign it. Though Hagrid was known to miss some things, Harry was sure he would at least recognize the handwriting if he didn't pick up on the clues. He also knew that there was little chance of the owl being intercepted on the short journey to Hagrid's hut, but he had spent the last year erring on the side of caution. Finally, Harry stuffed the parchment in Errol's talon and sent him toward the small hut that was just visible in the misty morning.

He only had to wait a few minutes before he saw Hagrid's dark figure emerge from the hut and head for the castle. When he disappeared into the shadows around Hogwarts, Harry counted the seconds that were going agonizingly slow. He imagined himself walking the familiar path from the Entrance Hall to Gryffindor Tower. Surely it couldn't be taking this long.

Suddenly he saw the first light of the next morning crack over the horizon. He had spent all night looking for Ginny. Only a minute later he saw two figures crossing the grassy lands of Hogwarts. When he noticed that one was significantly shorter than the other, Harry immediately felt all of his tiredness drain from his body. He heard the creak as the gate swung open and the next thing he knew he was smothered in one of Ginny's hugs.

"Harry! You're back!"

He immediately wrapped his arms back around her, finally feeling at home. But before he could totally lose himself in her, his senses returned and he drew back.

"Hagrid, um, how did my Aunt and Uncle tell me my parents died?"

"Yeh were brought up thinkin' yer folks died in a car crash. But I don' see how anyone coul' believe tha' Lily and James died inna car crash."

It was Hagrid. It could be no one else.

"I've missed you Hagrid."

The half-giant smiled back, "It's good ter see yeh."

"Ginny, what do I have tattooed on my chest?"

"Absolutely nothing. But I once told Romilda Vane that you had a Horntail."

"And Harry," she continued, "Did you run into any veelas?"

He knew she had intended that to be her security question, but Harry had known it was her from the minute he saw her figure striding down from the castle. He hugged her as tight as he possibly could. "No," he whispered, "I've been waiting for my silver lining."

Harry and Ginny stayed in their embrace for several minutes, holding on tight so as not to let the other disappear. When they finally broke apart, Harry turned to look up at Hagrid, still holding Ginny next to him.

"Ron and Hermione and I are all well. We've only been hearing bits of news from Hogwarts, but it seems to be bad. I just needed to see you, Ginny. I realized something last night and I had to make sure you know. Hagrid, thank you so much for helping me."

Hagrid gave Harry a very tight squeeze.

"Thank you," they both whispered simultaneously, though Harry knew that would never suffice for everything Hagrid had done for him. With a smile, the large man turned around and headed back to the castle.

"Ginny," Harry was about to just say that he loved her, but he realized he should let her talk first. "How have you been?" he asked.

"Is that all you can say? Harry, it's been horrible. Snape and the Carrows are being awful to anyone with any relation to you. Sometimes I just can't do it. I fantasize about not coming back after Easter break, but that would be cowardly. Harry--Harry I just want to be brave for you."

Harry immediately put his arms where he knew they belonged, around Ginny's shoulders. "Ginny, you are not cowardly. You and Neville and Luna, you are so brave for everything that you do. "

"Harry, why did you come here?" She asked quietly, into his t-shirt, "It couldn't just be for silver lining."

"Gin--Ginny, everyday since I've left you I fell asleep staring at your name on the Marauder's map. It was the only thing I could do to reassure myself that you were safe. It drove me crazy, but seeing you dot move and knowing that you were alive reminded me of the whole purpose of my adventure."

"Which is?"

"To protect the ones I love. Ginny, I love you. I think I always have. I've just been too thick to realize it until now."

Ginny gaped at him for a moment.

"I--I love you too, Harry. "

Harry brought his lips down to hers and they met for the first time in months. He moved slowly against her until he felt her respond with more vigor. Harry savored the taste of Ginny, fully experiencing what he had been without for far too long.

"This is nice," Ginny said, as they broke apart. "I bet you have to leave soon, huh?"

"Well, yes," Harry started, "But I need to make sure you're okay."

"I don't know. I'm just feeling more and more useless every day that I stay here. I have no idea where you and Hermione and my brother are. Neville, Luna and I led a bunch of Dumbledore's army to sleep in the Room of Requirement, but not enough. I want to leave, but I don't want to abandon them. And my mum is starting to crack. She's written me dozens of hysterical letters, only to write back and apologize the next day. She's having trouble getting over my dad, I think. But I don't blame her. Not one bit. Not a day goes by that I don't think about him. I just want to leave Hogwarts."

Harry had not removed his arms from around Ginny the whole time. He had noticed the welts and marks up and down her arms. He had almost asked her about them, but refrained when he was too frightened of what her answer would be. Hogwarts was obviously not the happy place he had once called home. These dark times should be about families sticking together. Harry and his friends were never going to win the war if the families could not work together. Ginny would have to help her mother cope.

"Gin, I think you're right."

"What?"

"I think you've done all you can at Hogwarts. I think your mum needs your support. I can't stand to see you hurt like this. I want to tell you what we've been doing. I trust you beyond anyone I know."

"Harry," was all she said, letting out a breath.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

"Of course."

"I'm going to apparate you to where we're camping out. It'll be a safer place to tell you, and you can see Ron and Hermione."

He held her close, closer than what was strictly needed for side-along apparition, thought of the forest he had left the night before, and turned on the spot. The campsite was further East than Hogwarts, because here the sun was fully in the sky.

"Harry!" was the first thing he heard. "I was so scared when you just disapparated."

"Hermione," he said to quiet his keyed-up friend. "I brought Ginny. I'm going to tell her the whole story."

"She can't come with us. She's underage."

"We know," said Ginny, showing herself for the first time. "I'm going to help my mother."

Hermione did not even bat an eye at the fact that Ginny was not in school. "That's good. She'll need you." Then, it looked like Hermione finally remembered something. "I should go wake Ron. I was waiting for you to come back."

She scampered away and returned five minutes later with a very drowsy looking Ron who did a double take when he saw his sister.

"What the hell is she doing here?"

"It's nice to see you too, Ron. Harry told me he would tell me what you three have been up to."

It took several hours for Harry, with several interludes and clarifications coming from Hermione and Ron, as well as many gasps from Ginny, to tell her the whole story. He told her about the horcruxes, about the Death Eaters after Bill's wedding, about Christmas at Godric's Hollow, and about the silver doe. Ginny told them everything that was going on at Hogwarts, Harry's arm wrapped tightly around her. She smiled at all of the support that the public was giving to Harry's mysterious mission.

When the four teens had stopped talking, a silence fell on the tent.

"Harry, we need to continue moving," said Hermione, a bit cautiously.

Harry had been dreading this moment, when he would once again have to say goodbye to Ginny. "I know," he said weakly. "D'you think they've already notified your mum that Ginny is gone?"

"No, I haven't slept in my bed all term. No one's noticed."

"Good," said Harry. "Ron, didn't you say you went to Bill's when-- yanno--"

"Yeah, it's under the Fidelius."

"Can you take Ginny there and get your mum?"

Ron nodded.

As she was getting ready to leave, Harry pulled Ginny back.

"Do you still have your D.A. Galleon?" he asked.

"Of course I do."

"Good, I'll send you a message if I need your help."

At Ginny's nod, Harry embraced her once again. He kissed her mouth, relishing the feeling for as long as it lasted. He whispered, "I love you, Ginny," in her ear before giving her one last kiss and turning away.

As he heard the pop that undoubtedly meant Ron had disapparated her to Bill's, Harry reminded himself of his motivation. He wanted to win the war to make the world a safer place. He wanted to survive the war so that he could love Ginny for the rest of his life. Marry her.

--

_Two Months Later_

Harry, Ron, and Hermione, cup horcrux in hand, stepped out of their disapparition into the barroom floor of the Hog's Head. They had come straight from Gringotts, where they had stolen the next horcrux. Harry could tell that he was nearing the climax of his journey. He could feel his heartbeat increasing. He could feel his meeting with Aberforth would lead to a large battle, the final battle, perhaps.

Ginny had told him all about Aberforth's use of the portrait to let the members of Dumbledore's Army in and out of the Room of Requirement. She had helped them set up a meeting with him so that they could sneak through Arianna's portrait back to Hogwarts. Harry had wanted to send her periodic "I love you"s through the D.A. coins, but he knew that that was their only route of communication in case of an emergency. But then, Ron had taken everyone, including Luna, Griphook, and a dying Dobby to Shell Cottage. When he had seen Luna locked in the Malfoy's basement, Harry had blamed himself for not also taking her and Neville when he brought Ginny. But then he had seen her, the very girl who had just been occupying his thoughts at Shell Cottage. It had been almost as if Harry was back at Hogwarts, sitting with Ginny by the lake. His ache for her had nearly subsided as they spend every day talking, kissing, and cautiously walking to the beach or to Dobby's grave. The few days Harry had spent at Shell Cottage had been bliss.

Now however, Harry found himself once again wandering through the halls of Hogwarts. It was not the shadowy evening that was making the castle seem blacker then he remembered it, it was the shame the castle itself had experienced that year. He was searching desperately for any Ravenclaw who could help him locate the last horcrux.

His adrenaline was picking up. It was almost as if he could smell the battle beginning around him. He had already sent Ginny the brief "This is it" on her coin, knowing that she would know the final battle was approaching and she should gather the forces. He had hesitated in sending it, knowing that she was safe where she was. Once she got the message, Harry knew that she would want to join the battle. But deep down, he knew she would join anyway. If she didn't, she wouldn't be the girl he loved. With new ardor that came with that thought, he sent her the message, preparing himself for the impending battle.

He saw Ginny on his way to the Room of Requirement. In the heat of the battle, he only had time for the quickest of kisses. He whispered a feeble, "Hide." But she smiled and shook her head. He put his hand on her shoulder and rested it there for a long as he dared before turning away to find and destroy the diadem.

The battle raged across the Hogwarts grounds, mimicking the Feindfyre that was burning deep within it. Diary. Ring. Locket. Cup. Diadem. All Gone. It was time to end this. Harry was more frightened than he had ever remembered being as he learned, with certainty, that he was to be sacrificed. He repeated the names of those that had already given their lives to help him win the war. His parents. Cedric. Arthur. Sirius. Dumbledore. Fred. When he finally imagined Ginny's face, representing the ones that his decision would save, he knew he had made the right choice.

The snake had not yet been killed. It was the second to last horcrux. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny would understand that Nagini needed to be killed, but Harry knew that Ginny, who missed her father so dearly, had the right to do it herself. It would be immensely difficult to face the girl he loved minutes before he had to walk to his death—but he could not stop himself as he walked over, as if in a trance, to give her the sword.

"Get the snake," Harry said, placing the sword in her hands almost reverently. He wanted to say goodbye, but was far too cowardly to do so.

"Get Tom," Ginny said back with a smile. Harry returned it halfheartedly and retreated.

The cloak and the stone were clutched in Harry's hands as he slowly walked into the forest amid Voldemort's booming taunts. He was frightened. Though he was resolved to his choice, Harry feared the ultimate unknown. Only the steady beat of his footprints that echoed the limited beats of his heart kept his pace steady.

He had heard people talking about how, at the brink of death, life would flash before his eyes. Maybe Harry had been at the brink of death too often for that to happen, though. Instead, Harry saw faces. Dozens of faces. Those that he was leaving behind. Those for whom he was laying down his life. The faces that nearly made him stop in his tracks though, were the young red haired green eyed children that Harry had allowed himself to think of only in his dreams. They were the rewards that he had created for himself if he survived the war. The life where he married Ginny to become a member of the large Weasley family. He had not let those thoughts infiltrate his mind over the entire course of the battle. Now, the images of him and Ginny—Their wedding, their children, their home—were attacking his mind, practically making him lose his resolve. Though he had hardly admitted it to himself over the course of the previous few months, the only thing Harry Potter wanted in his future was to marry Ginny Weasley.

The tears fell, unhindered. Harry mourned for the life that he would never have. The children he could never call his own. He could not do this alone.

Without even thinking, Harry grabbed the Resurrection Stone and immediately saw his mother and two of the Marauders. It was only their company that made the journey bearable.

"Will I see her again?" Harry directed at the spirits of the deceased.

Lily answered. "You can watch over her every day. Your father and I have always been behind you."

She reached out, almost trying to hug her son. When she went right through him, though, Harry dropped the stone in frustration. The spirits immediately vanished. But harry noticed that they had led him straight to the clearing where Voldemort was waiting.

With nothing but the thought that he may soon be hugging a solid form of his mother for the first time, he stepped into the clearing and made his presence known. When Tom Riddle noticed that he was there, Harry spread his arms, almost taunting his enemy that he would not fight back. Harry would not give him the fight he was looking for.

As the green light filled the forest, Harry saw Ginny running to him in the Common Room.

--

"Hello, Harry." A calm voice spoke. "Do you recognize where we are?"

Disoriented, Harry stood up and looked around. It seemed that he was in King's Cross Station. There were no people that he could see, except for a wrinkled baby wailing under a nearby bench. In a wave of modesty, Harry noticed that he was unclothed. He gathered the robes that were folded at his feet and draped them around his shoulders.

"King's Cross." He muttered.

"Yes," said the same calm voice. When the short figure stepped out of the shadows, Harry first noticed his orangey red hair.

"Mr. Weasley?" He said, almost awestruck.

"Harry," The older man said, pulling him into an embrace.

Harry wanted to ask what he was doing in the train station. He was fairly sure he was dead. He just was eager to know what came next. But instead of his burning and prudent questions, Harry felt the need to inform Arthur of how his family was doing.

"Everybody misses you," He started. "Mrs. Weasley is as good a cook as ever."

"Surely you've started calling her Molly by now," Arthur interrupted.

Harry could just smile sadly at the man he considered his second father and continue. "Ginny and I started dating. The joke shop is going very well." As soon as Harry realized he had mentioned the twins, he said, "I hope you've gotten to reunite with F—"

"Yes Harry, he's safe." Arthur said sadly. "But I came to talk to you. King's Cross, as I'm sure you know, is a gateway."

Harry nodded.

"Dumbledore tells me—and I'm inclined to believe him—that because you walked willingly to your death that you may make the choice to go on or to go back. Many would say the easier choice would be to take the train. It is a choice absolutely no one would blame you for making."

Harry thought of the unfinished battle he had left behind. He thought of the people back at Hogwarts. He knew that he could never choose to take the train. He listened as Arthur continued speaking.

"Mr. Weasley," Harry started.

"Arthur," He corrected.

"Arthur, I just have one question for you."

"Go on."

Harry had never expected himself to ask the question he was about to ask Arthur. Due to youth or circumstance, he had never even imagined the way he would ask it. Harry could do nothing to help it. He was scared. Almost more frightened than he was about having to go back and face an Elder Wand-wielding Voldemort.

"If you have been watching your family for the last few years, I hope you've noticed the time I've spent with Ginny. Arthur, I love your daughter. She's the first one that's taught me how to be loved and to love in return."

Harry turned to gauge Arthur's reaction. He seemed to be listening intently, and gave Harry a friendly nod to continue.

"As I was walking to what I believed would be my death, the thoughts I had all revolved around the life I dearly wanted to spend with Ginny. So I guess this wasn't really how I planned on asking this question. And it doesn't need to be right away. But I was hoping you would give me your blessing to—when I go back to Hogwarts—ask your daughter to marry me."

Arthur smiled warmly at Harry. "You looked almost as nervous as I did when I asked Molly's father the same question, son. And after watching you two for the last few years, I don't think Ginny would ever forgive me if I said no. Consider this a wholehearted approval. I don't think anything would make Ginny happier."

--

Harry turned his head and could do nothing but smile as he saw Ginny. Her red hair shone against her pure white dress.

Ginny had only a few meters to walk, but she was feeling a bit nervous nevertheless. She linked her arm in George's and took her first step towards her future husband.

She had chosen George to give her away for several reasons. He and Fred and been great inspirations to her while growing up. He also was the brother that understood loss the most. Ginny lost her father, George lost his twin, and Harry lost nearly his entire family. Today was a day to celebrate the beginning of a new life for Harry and Ginny. Hopefully one that would include the creation of several new lives. Harry and Ginny had wanted to use the celebration of their wedding to remember those that had been lost.

After Ginny had taken her step, her eyes locked with Harry's and never left until she found herself standing in front of him. She turned and gave a long, meaningful embrace to George, thanking him with all her might for being strong enough to lead her down the aisle. When she stepped back, George placed her hand in Harry's.


End file.
